Slightly evil deep mojo, but dualvar from Scalar::Util lets you make a scalar that behaves like $! (string when used as a string, numeric when used as a number). Alternately overload numerification.

The cake is a lie.
The cake is a lie.
The cake is a lie.

In reply to Re: Determing "numeric value" of string? by Fletch
in thread Determing "numeric value" of string? by Anonymous Monk

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